George O?Brien Jr. has been made a scapegoat, claims legendary local sportsman Calvin (Bummy) Symonds.

Symonds yesterday spoke out over a recent disclosure naming Stephen Outerbridge among a trio of local cricketers chosen to take part in a 11 week ICC Training Camp in South Africa this month.

But given the Bailey?s Bay batsman?s involvement in a highly-publicised Cup Match punch-up with the St.David?s fast bowler, Symonds believes O?Brien has bore the brunt of punishment while Outerbridge has got off lightly.

?This boy is being used as a victim and this matter needs to be looked into further,? Symonds told ?I have been thinking about this matter for a long time now and I recall looking at O?Brien bowl when he was about 15 years old and I thought to myself this boy is going to be a great bowler.?

Compounding matters, Symonds added, is the fact O?Brien finds himself on the local endangered species lists of genuine fast bowlers.

?We need young fellows like him for 2007 (World Cup),? Symonds maintained. ?Everybody has a little animal nature in them, but there?s no need for the BCB to make this boy out to be the main victim here.?

The former St.George?s Cup Match skipper suggested that surrounding O?Brien around positive and influential people might provide means to curb the bowler?s temperament.

?Include him in the training squad so that he can be surrounded by mature people like Janeiro (Tucker) who can take hold by him and talk to him,? he insisted.

?But if you keep punishing him like this . . . it?s just not right. Stephen is going to South Africa for 11 weeks while O?Brien has been treated harshly.?

Symonds contends St.George?s Cricket Club officials were prepared to take disciplinary action, but only after the respective match umpires have signed their official match report.

?Neil Paynter (St.George?s president) did not accept the letter because someone has to sign it. . . and he is right,? he added. ?I?m not sure what Somerset did with Outerbridge, but St.George?s haven?t dealt with O?Brien, pictured, because the umpire?s report was not signed. And in my honest opinion this boy is being used as a scapegoat and we can?t allow this to happen.

?Here we have a shortage of genuine fast bowlers in Bermuda, and he?s the fastest we?ve got at the moment. And I feel O?Brien should have gone to South Africa or another academy. Stephen is only a batsman but they are sending him down there.

?I just think we are going backwards here.?

St.George?s? boss Neil Paynter could not be reached for comment, however, a club spokesperson confirmed that an unsigned umpire?s report had been rejected. Attempts to contact Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association (BCUA) president George Francis, though, were unsuccessful.

However it has emerged that while it has yet to be confirmed, the Board?s decision to send Outerbridge overseas might have hinged heavily upon two key factors ? Somerset Cricket Club?s undisclosed punishment of their player and O?Brien?s history of disciplinary problems. There is also some suggestion that Outerbridge was selected due to the problems Bermuda are experiencing at the top of their batting order.

Meanwhile, it was previously reported in that national coach Gus Logie had in fact spoken to both Outerbridge and O?Brien following the Cup Match incident which has overshadowed St.George?s narrow 27-run win over Somerset at Wellington Oval last July.

?I have spoken to George (O?Brien) personally and I have said to him that we are looking at players to set a certain standard and that we?re looking forward to him meeting those standards. It?s not just him, Stephen (Outerbridge) is another guy who we looked at very carefully as well,? the former Windies Test player divulged.

?These are young people who can be in the mix sooner or later but before that happens we need to see improvements in everything they do. We?re certainly not picking players just because they can bat and bowl. We have talked about them setting examples and a high standard of discipline both on and off the field.?

All the BCB would say on the matter yesterday was: ?The directive from the ICC has not been lifted and we are unable to confirm or deny the involvement of any player in this Winter training camp.?